For Valentines this year I’m not after a gift I’ll keep forever. I don’t particularly want to remember lockdown in the coming years so I would rather have something I can eat or drink to indulge and enjoy immensely on the day. If you’re anything like me then the way to your heart is not through clothes, jewellery or flowers it’s through food. So I had to sample a few things that would make me happy to receive on the day. I have already written about the best meal kits you can order for Valentine’s Day but here’s a few items for the foodies in your lives.
Coombe Farm Organic have an entire section of their website dedicated to indulgence on Valentine’s day so there’s more than enough inspiration to get your creative juices flowing. I opted for the Organic Beef Chateaubriand, ‘the last word in refined and luxurious beef’. Its soft-as-butter texture slices through smoothly with virtually no grain, an exceptionally indulgent piece of meat that is best served rare.
For a sweet treat I turned to Jack and Beyond who have added a Valentine’s day range to their list of exceptional baked goods. I was sent some red velvet brownies that were a real treat and so different from anything I’d had before. The deep red marbled with the white gives them such a striking appearance but you forget about that as soon as you taste it because my god they are good! My fiance gobbled his down in about 30 seconds flat (which I wouldn’t recommend, that’s just how much he enjoyed it) whereas I like to savour every bite. I also got some gorgeous meringue hearts that were so dainty and lovely I think they’d make an ideal gift for anyone.
I discovered another indulgence I never knew I needed from Rita Farhi who has been proudly making premium confectionery for over 16 years. Though it was tempting to go for chocolates I wanted to try something different and was recommended their Belgian chocolate and stuffed Medjool date selection in a gift box . When I tell you these were the best dates I have ever eaten I’m not exaggerating, neither am I when I say I ate 5 all in one go. Firstly they are much bigger than ones you’d get in a rectangular pack at your Nanna’s at Christmas, these are plump, sticky and chewy but the variety of fillings is what makes them so scrumptious. I was really blown away by these and can wholeheartedly recommend you buy for someone who isn’t the ‘box of chocolates and flowers’ type.
I’ve also found something for the coffee lover, as we all know one don’t we? Seven Districts Coffee deliver hand-roasted and ethically sourced speciality coffee beans which are roasted every day in Lincolnshire. Each district of Lincolnshire has its own long and forgotten folklore. Each of their coffees holds the story of the district it’s been matched with and on receiving your bag of single origin coffees, you’ll find the folklore story on the back of the bag, as well as an illustration which represents that folklore. It’s the touches like this which makes the brand so much more special than popping down to starbucks. I recommend the Coffee Gift Box containing 3 coffee blends of your choice, a travel mug and 2 stroopwafels. Readers can also get 10% off by using the code ‘BBBGiftBox10’ up until February 15.
If you like your chocolate sustainably sourced and cruelty free then look no further than Conscious chocolate, whose Love Gift Box contains 12 love potion organic, vegan hearts with essential oil of rose and 62% Maca Peruvian Cacao. All of the packaging is plastic free, recyclable and home compostable. But most importantly the chocolate is melt in the mouth, smooth and delightfully floral.
If you’re after a box of chocolates and wine but want more of a luxurious gift then I can thoroughly recommend Independent Wines’s Wine and velvet truffles gift set. The Rosso di Montalcino wine boasts zingy flavours of redcurrant, dried cherries and rich chocolate. These are drawn out by the curated truffle selection which variously features notes of cracked black pepper, heather honey and rose. The chocolates have won 40 prestigious awards which is why it is very tempting to just keep them all to yourself!
I have compiled this guide of delicious treats to share (or not) with the one you love but if you prefer to give a more traditional gift then head to my other gift guide.
